Gandhinagar/Dang, June 20 (IANS) Gujarat’s Dang district, one of India’s few districts with an overwhelmingly tribal population, has emerged as a national model for rural sanitation after achieving near-universal adoption of twin-pit toilets, a key component of faecal sludge management under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin).

According to officials, 51,613 of the district’s 58,966 households have adopted twin-pit toilets, accounting for nearly 95 per cent of all household toilets in the district.

The achievement has drawn national attention and has been cited as an example of effective sanitation management in remote tribal areas.

Known for its dense forests, rolling hills and scattered settlements, Dang district has demonstrated how low-cost sanitation technology can be implemented at scale through community participation.

Officials say the widespread adoption of twin-pit toilets has strengthened rural sanitation infrastructure while reducing the risks associated with unsafe waste disposal.

Vipul Pardeshi, Coordinator of the Dang District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), said the district comprises three talukas and 310 villages with an estimated population of 2.96 lakh.

“Out of a total of 58,966 households, 51,613 have already adopted twin-pit toilets, accounting for nearly 95 per cent of all toilets in the district. This is a significant achievement in the field of faecal sludge management. All of this has been made possible through public participation. The government provides assistance of Rs 12,000 to every household for constructing a twin-pit toilet,” he said.

The Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, sought to eliminate open defecation and improve solid and liquid waste management in rural areas.

Since then, the programme has expanded to focus on sanitation, public health, women’s safety and behavioural change.

Dang’s progress was highlighted during a virtual review meeting organised by the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti in January to assess faecal sludge management models being implemented across states and Union Territories.

The meeting, chaired by Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, examined sanitation initiatives that could be replicated on a larger scale.

During the discussion, Dang district was presented as a notable example of large-scale twin-pit toilet adoption in remote tribal regions.

Praising the participating states, Patil said: “Such sanitation models not only contribute to the vision of a cleaner India but also create employment opportunities through sustainable waste management”.

Twin-pit toilets differ from conventional sewer-connected systems by treating waste at the household level. Human waste is directed into one pit where it decomposes naturally.

Once that pit is filled, the flow is diverted to a second pit, allowing the contents of the first pit to break down completely into safe, nutrient-rich organic manure that can be removed and used as fertiliser.

The technology is considered cost-effective, requires less water than conventional flush toilets and eliminates the need for expensive sewerage infrastructure.

Under the Swachh Bharat Mission (Gramin), the government provides financial assistance of Rs 12,000 for the construction of individual household toilets and promotes twin-pit systems as a sustainable solution for rural sanitation.

–IANS

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